Fred and His Twin
by YaoiReaderGalor
Summary: No one is calling George's name anymore. They always call for Fred. They call him Fred; they call Fred Fred. George feels he is an afterthought - the less important of the twins. What will Fred do when he finds out this is what George thinks of himself? Will George sink into depression? NOT EDITED
1. Chapter 1

George followed his brother down the stairs for their usual late breakfast. The smell of bacon and biscuits permeated the house, causing his stomach to rumble.

"Hungry Georgie?" Fred grinned back at him.

"No more than yourself!" laughed George as Fred's own stomach growled. Fred scowled at his midsection, and his twin pushed past him. It was obvious by the way George had picked up speed and glanced back mischievously at his brother that he wanted a race. Well, if it was a race George wanted, Fred was happy to oblige.

Somewhere around the second floor landing the race had turned into a wrestling match and both of them fell in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. Fred leaped to his feet and lunged for the finish line: the kitchen table, but smacked back to the floor when George grabbed onto a foot.

"BOYS! Enough of that! Sit at the table and eat like the civilized young men I tried to raise," Mrs. Weasley shouted at them from the sink where she was charming the early birds in the family's breakfast plates to wash themselves.

"Are you saying we're not civilized? That's –" started Fred.

"The most flattering thing anyone has ever said to us," finished George as he and his twin took seats and started eating from the ready-made plates in front of them. The bacon was a bit colder than he would have liked.

"Hush, Fred," Mrs. Weasley said, glaring at George. George felt a pang in his chest. Usually, it wouldn't bother him that people were mistaking him for his twin, but no one had said his name in the past couple days. It was starting to hurt a little. Even if he was just going to get yelled at, he'd like to be recognized.

Ron and Hairy stumbled down the stairs. "Mum, is it still breakfast?"

In the afternoon the Weasley family - plus Harry and Hermione - flooed to Diagon Alley for the annual pre-year supply run. Once the last of the family stumbled out of the fire place at The Leaky Cauldron and shook the ash from their robes, Mrs. Weasley gave out instructions. "You may split up into groups, but meet me back here at four o'clock. Understand?" George visibly perked up at this. "After what happened at the World Cup I just want you all to be able to have fun. Give me your school lists please – thank you," she gathered each of their letters and took the small bag of coins Harry gave her with an embarrassed blush.

Once everyone had split off, George turned to Fred, "Want to go take a look around Knockturn Alley?"

"Great minds think alike dear brother of mine," said Fred, and they made a ninety degree turn towards the entrance of Knockturn Alley.

They were yanked backwards by their shirt collars. "Oh, no, you don't," said their father's voice. They turned around to stare into their dad's face which was now on eye level with the twins thanks to their recent growth spurt. "I knew you'd go off and get yourselves into trouble. If you don't want to be nanny-ed all afternoon, holding your mother's hand, you will stay away from Knockturn Alley."

They grumbled under their breath but walked in the other direction from the alley. George spun around as a thought came to him. "Dad?" he called to his still watching father. Arthur straightened a bit to show he was listening. "Can we borrow some galleons?"

"'Borrow?' You mean you're actually going to give them back?" He seemed amused at the very thought.

"Sure we will! When our joke shop hits it big we'll even pay you back with interest!" George said and Fred grinned beside him.

"Ha! Won't fall for that, Fred!" said their dad. George's smile faded a bit. "You boys will have to entertain yourselves without gold for today." With that Arthur turned around and headed after his wife who was making a beeline for Gringotts.

Fred looked at his brother, concerned about the expression on his face. It seemed frustrated and something else Fred couldn't put a finger on "Georgie? You alright?"

George faced his twin and twisted his lips in an unconcerned smile. "Of course! Just disappointed we won't have any coins to spend. Let's go check out the Owl Emporium."

They toured the whole of Diagon Alley two times, balancing books on their heads and trying to walk until they were kicked out of Florish and Blotts. George then dragged them to the apothecary to investigate an ingredient he suspected would help stop the unfortunate boils associated with an invention they were creating. Finally it was three fifty, and they started making their way back to The Leaky Cauldron.

"Fred! Hey, Fred!" called a female voice which turned out to be Kattie Bell, their fellow Griffyindor Quiditch player. She jogged to them, her periwinkle robes flattering her nicely. "How are you?" Katie beamed up at Fred.

"Great! Are you shopping for school?" Fred asked.

"Yep! I guess that's what you two are doing too." She glanced at George before giving her attention back to Fred. "So were you paying attention to Ireland's defense during The Cup? We could definitely use some of their tactics in our match against Ravenclaw."

Fred and Katie spoke strategy and George made a comment or two along the lines of "Lynch was trying to avoid the bludger and accidentally receipted the Bulgarian's pass", but it was clear he wasn't really in the conversation. Katie talked directly to Fred, creating a personal bubble that encompassed the two of them.

A voice in the crowd yelled out "Katie!" and their friend said goodbye before making her way toward a broad-shouldered woman with a strong jaw and dark features that must have been her mother. Katie called back to them, "See you at school Fred!" and as if she just remembered he was there "and you George!"

Katie hadn't spared the time of day for him. It reminded him of his father and mother earlier that day. Sure they talked to him, but they were really talking to Fred. It seemed as if everyone preferred Fred over George – like it wasn't 'Fred and George' but 'Fred and his twin'. George was an afterthought. George clinched his jaw and sadness welled up inside him. That wasn't true. It couldn't be true. People liked him as well for being George and not for being Fred. But, why did people – his own family – insist on always calling for Fred and not George?

"Fred!" Ginny called them over where she and Hermione were standing by the back entrance of The Leaky Cauldron. George's hands tightened into fists. She had referred to the both of them as 'Fred' as if there wasn't a 'George' too.

"Georgie?" Fred nudged him in the ribs.

"Come on, we've only got a minute left until four. I wouldn't put it past mum to ground us if we're five seconds late," George picked up his pace. He was overreacting, he told himself. This was all in his head.


	2. Chapter 2

When his mother hugged him goodbye on platform 9 ¾ and whispered, "I'll miss you Fred. Don't cause too much grief for Filtch, you hear?" George bit the inside of his cheek in a mixture of frustration and sadness. In the week that had passed since their trip to Diagon Alley his name had only been spoken three times. Two of those times it had been directed at Fred. Fred saying it didn't count.

George pulled out of the hug and gave his mother a smile. "Only as much grief as he deserves!" Her taken-aback expression told him he didn't achieve the care-free expression he was aiming for. He hoped it didn't look as bitter as he felt.

"Another year of safe, well-intentioned pranks, am I right Forge?" Fred slung his arm around George's shoulders and winked at their mom, emphasizing safe and well-intentioned, as he led George to the Hogwarts Express.

George thought it best to act as normal as possible and draped his own arm around his twin. "Right you are, Gred!"

This was their routine. It is what people expected them to do – the Weasley twins joking and laughing 'til the end of time. But for the first time in a long time, George wasn't in the mood to do this charade. It didn't feel genuine. He didn't want his identity so closely tied to another person even if that other person was Fred.

George's face cleared in understanding. If he wanted to be recognized as George and not the-other-twin, he would have to do something that Fred would never do. Perhaps he'd join a club this year and find a new hobby. A club would take away from Quidditch though. Maybe he'd forego the club and try a different position on the team instead. That would set him apart while still giving him the chance to play his favorite sport. However, George did sorely love being a beater and spending all his time plotting pranks and coming up with new inventions.

"Come on, Georgie," Fred said in an unusually soft tone, releasing George. "I have a couple sickles. Let's see if we can't get some chocolate frogs."

George was elated. Dumbledore had just announced the answer to his predicament: the Triwizard Tournament. Fred clapped him on the back and they shared anticipatory grins. Even if Fred entered with him, they couldn't both be Hogwarts champions. This was his chance to shine.

"….for safety only students seventeen years or older may participate," said Dumbledore.

"That's rubbish!" yelled George over the clamor that statement provoked. Fred railed alongside him. The twins were sixteen and would turn seventeen in April. They would be of age during the tournament! Unfortunately, if they weren't seventeen by the time they entered, they were illegible. George felt the injustice filling his chest. His chance had been stolen from him seconds after it was given.

Silence eventually fell before Dumbledore's raised hands. When the headmaster continued speaking, Fred leaned in and whispered, "We're still entering, right?"

"Definitely," whispered back an impassioned George.

Katie sat down next to George. "The Triwizard Tournament sounds exciting, doesn't it?"

George lifted his head from his Transfiguration essay ("It's the first week back and we've already got an essay!" Fred had exclaimed) to answer, but saw that all her attention was focused on Fred who sat directly opposite with Lee.

"It'll be even more exciting when yours truly is the Hogwarts champion," Fred said. His quill dripped a dot of ink on to his essay.

"Aren't you sixteen?" Katie asked with a puzzled frown.

"Have rules ever stopped George and I for long?"

"I can't recall when they have," Katie giggled. Then she grew serious. "It's brilliant about the tournament, but no quidditch is a crime."

"Should be a crime," agreed George. Neither Katie nor Fred acknowledged him. Quidditch had been one of his plans to set himself apart. He was going to try out for Keeper since Oliver Wood graduated the previous year. Now he really would have to join a club.

Katie and Fred ranted about how unfair canceling quidditch was while George failed to concentrate on his essay. There were more than a few blotches from his dripping quill. His name had only been said during roll call in classes. If he had needed a reason to confirm his suspicions that no one at Hogwarts recognized him as a person, it was Katie. With other people at least he was Fred's shadow, they'd glance at him now and then, but with Katie he was invisible.

"George?" George started at the slightly iridescent turkey feather waving itself between his face and his essay. Fred withdrew his quill with a thoughtful expression now that his twin was looking up at him. Katie had left.

"We thought you had left your body behind, mate," joked Lee. He always referred to George as 'mate' instead of saying his name.

"Can't concentrate," muttered George, putting his quill and ink away. "I'm going to bed."

"It's only nine!" said Fred incredulously.

"Thank you for letting me know. I couldn't read the clock from this side of the room," George stood up and swung his bag over his shoulder almost hitting the common room's grandfather clock behind him. He heard Lee's low whistle, most likely in regard to his attitude, as he ascended the stairs to their dorm.

"White moves first," his opponent, a Ravenclaw third year with sharp features, informed him. George moved his pawn out two spaces. The dark-skinned girl moved a pawn near her queen up a space. George continued to build his impenetrable pawn wall, but seven moves into the game she had him in check mate. His king trembled before the graphic gestures the black queen and knight were directing toward him. George glared in frustration at the board, trying to determine how he lost so quickly.

"You can't keep doing that pawn-wall-thing," Miss-Child-Mastermind said, twisting a braid between her fingers. "It's a complete beginner move and easy to destroy."

"You've bested me again, Rita," said George lightly. "I don't think my ego can take another beating. Chess just isn't my calling."

"If you ever want to be knocked down a notch, feel free to come back George," Rita shook his hand in a show of good sportsmanship above the board where the white chess pieces were shouting how they'd never been so disgraced and if George never returned it would be too soon. "Tell you brother, Ron, that chess club would love if he'd enter one of our tourneys."

"I'll let him know." George had to listen about Ron every chess meeting he'd attended. Granted, it's only been two meetings. Apparently, having a brother who beat McGonagall's giant chess set in first year meant he had been asked questions about where Ron had learned chess and how often he played. Unfortunately, this kind of attention made George feel like his identity was now tied with Ron's instead of Fred's. Of course, this wasn't the primary reason for George quitting chess club. He was pants at chess.

Fred waved him over to a table with Lee, Katie, and Angelina when George stepped through the Fat Lady's portrait. Half way over George spotted the wonder trio in front of the fire place. He made his way over to them, ignoring Fred's hurt expression. He had been ignoring his brother for the better part of a week. George's plan to separate himself from Fred in peoples' minds included physically separating himself from his twin. The thought was if people saw them individually, George would be considered his own person. This strategy also had the side-effect of making George and Fred miserable, so it'll probably be chucked soon.

"Did you know the chess club worships you?" George asked a startled Ron. In the short conversation that followed Ron called George Fred twice, making the mistake even after being corrected.

George didn't even look at Fred as he passed his friends on his way to his dorm.


End file.
